News Hounds

The missing ingredient in the Abramoff scandals - the sex angle revealed

Fri 01:14 AM

I noted Tuesday that the media ought to be able to make the Abramoff scandals interesting to the public, seeing as how it has all the right ingredients for a dramatic mystery:

"Perhaps what the "news" business needs is more talent who can take a story of bribes, corruption, secrets, power, money, glamour, excesses, wheeling and dealing, and make it interesting. Hire the writers from Dynasty and Dallas (dating myself here, I know) and let them weave the storyline for the "folks" who have to be entertained all the time. Just use the raw data and it will be shocking, and sickening, and infuriating, enough"

But really, what's missing from the recipe? Sex, of course. No doubt there's plenty of that going on in these power-circles but so far it's kept well under wraps. Yesterday 1/5/06 on The Big Story John Gibson made mention of the scorned lover who may have started the whole investigation.

Don’t You Just Know That Someone At FOX News Is Frantically Looking For Evidence That Bill Clinton Took Money From Jack Abramoff?

Fri 12:25 AM

Developing: Last night (1/5/06) on Hannity & Colmes, FOX News tried the “everybody does it” approach to covering the Abramoff scandal. In an introduction to the discussion, Alan Colmes, obviously reading pre-written lines, announced something to the effect that Abramoff donated to both Democrats and Republicans and implied that it was a bi-partisan scandal about the workings of Congress. But as soon as he was speaking extemporaneously, Colmes made a point of distinguishing between taking contributions, which are completely legal, and the illegal act of taking funds for some kind of quid pro quo, which is illegal. Funny how FOX News frames the story to make it look better for Bush. See this excellent article from Media Matters debunking the “everybody does it” spin.

FOX News Continues Its Crusade To Force The World To Be More Christian

Fri 12:23 AM

Developing: One of last night’s (1/5/06) guests on Hannity & Colmes was a Navy chaplain, Gordon James Klingenschmitt, who is on a hunger strike until, as FOX News puts it, “President Bush signs an executive order allowing military chaplains to pray according to their beliefs.” What that really means, as Alan Colmes brought out, is that the Navy wants him to be non-denominational in his public remarks. But on FOX News, non-denominational is demonized as anti-Christian.

FOX's Wendell Goler gets Madeleine Albright totally wrong

Thu 10:24 PM

Wendell Goler reported from the White House for The Big Story today 1/5/06 on the unusual meeting Bush held with former Secretaries of State and Defense from every administration dating back to JFK. Gibson characterized the meeting as Bush "going outside his administration for advice" though it was reported later in the segment and a subsequent follow-up segment with Lawrence Eagleburger that the dissent was strongly muted, and when someone did question Bush's policies, Bush was "down his throat."

Will Shepard Smith Replace Bob Schieffer as Anchor of the CBS Evening News?

Thu 09:27 PM

Check this out (go to the last paragraph).

Comment: I thought Smith's reporting during the immediate aftermath of Katrina was fantastic, but...

O'Reilly Rates Media Coverage Of Letterman Interview

Thu 09:08 PM

Tonight Bill O'Reilly rated the media responses to his appearance on David Letterman,1/3/06. According to Bill, the New York Post and Detroit News were fair but Newsday.com was ridiculous. However, for some reason he claimed that the coverage on People.com was blatantly dishonest suggesting that the writer should be fired.

comment: The information reported in Newsday and People seemed pretty much the same. In fact the Newsday article seemed a little more inflammatory with it's suggestion that O'Reilly was publicity seeking. Newsday also mentioned that he declined to be interviewed and isn't that Bill's favorite complaint about people. Well at least, the Newsday article didn't accuse him of hiding under the desk like he does when people decline to appear. 1/5/06

Like Bush, Cavuto Protects Mining Companies & Shafts American Workers

Thu 07:16 PM

Today (January 5, 2006), Fox used its "business news" program, Your World w/Neil Cavuto, to rehabilitate the International Coal Group (ICG), the owner of the Sago mine in which 12 miners died earlier this week. The three (yes, three) segments devoted to the issue were decidedly pro-corporation and brutally anti-worker. (Think anti-viewer, but they keep watching anyway.)

Horrific, Bloody Days In Iraq Segment Ends With Chiding Murtha

Thu 05:42 PM

Under the banner of War on Terror (it wasn't, it was about the War in Iraq) Shepard Smith on Studio B went to Bret Baier for his 'straight from the Pentagon' report. It started out talking about the horrific, bloody days that were going on in Iraq and ended with an admonishment for Congressman John Murtha. (As if the two were tied together)

Grapevine Whine - Yet Another Spinning Poll

Thu 11:18 AM

FOX News never tires of telling its viewers that "national security" is more important than civil liberties. From subway searches, to torture, to "detaining" US citizens indefinitely without charges, to spying on US citizens, Fox trumpets the Bush administration fear-mongering line -- Be Afraid, Be Very Afraid -- & uses any tool it thinks will reinforce the idea that we don't need no stinkin' civil liberties. Last night (1/4) on Special Report, Brit Hume joined the chorus again, this time with results of a poll that allegedly shows that "most" Americans don't place much value on our hard-won civil liberties.

Abramoff scandal on a par with Jolie-gate

Thu 01:53 AM

Hiitting a new low in spin on the Big Story today 1/4/06 (Happy birthday Steve!) host John Gibson equated the Abramoff scandal with Angelina Jolie's phone call to Jennifer Aniston.

“Fair and Balanced” FOX News Censors Bush Criticism During Mine Explosion Discussion. Hannity to Bush Critic: Just Shut Up

Thu 12:36 AM

Last night’s Hannity & Colmes was devoted almost entirely to the West Virginia mine tragedy. For almost half the show, it seemed there would be nothing controversial, nothing partisan, nothing much for me to write about. Then Jack Spadaro, former director of the National Mine Safety and Health Academy, dared to criticize President Bush’s record on mine safety. Sean Hannity interrupted Spadaro’s discussion with Alan Colmes and moments later Spadaro was out of there.

Re the Abramoff "Nonsense" - "Democrats Much More Tolerant of Corruption"

Wed 06:58 PM

Newt Gingrich was a guest today (January 4, 2006) on Your World w/Neil Cavuto and he and Cavuto put a rather incredible spin on the Jack Abramoff scandal.

After ten FOX NEWS ALERTS preceeding reports, but not necessarily new information about the health of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon or the mine disaster in W. Virginia, Cavuto introduced Gingrich, saying he knew a "way to avoid a lot of this nonsense." ("Nonsense?" Is that FOX's official description of what Abramoff and his teammates were involved in? Nonsense?)

Studio B Focuses On The 3 Hour Gap - Maybe Mining Health & Safety Violations Should Be Emphasized?

Wed 05:17 PM

Most of Studio B, with a returning Shepard Smith, focused on the press conference of the President of International Coal Group, Ben Hatfield. The reporters are right in speaking about the 3 hour gap where the families went from jubilation of their loved one's survival to the sad truth 3 hours later when they found out they had, indeed perished at the Sago coal mine.

While this is an important story and these families certainly didn't need to suffer needlessly for three hours when their hearts were full of hope, but maybe we should look at the bigger picture of the tragedy. Why did this happen in the first place? Could it have been prevented?

David Letterman & Bill O'Reilly

Wed 02:59 PM

Bill O'Reilly walked out on Letterman's stage with a " don't mess with me" air of confidence but Letterman met him with a wide open gaze and a gift for observation that O'Reilly doesn't understand. O'Reilly wanted to show Letterman that he was oh so cool and amusing opening by responding to Letterman's greeting using the term "nice winter soltice" instead of "Christmas" telling Letterman that saying Christmas is out. At that point, it was clear where O'Reilly wanted to open the interview but Letterman soon took control. 1/3/05

Taliban & Colmes – Or More Proof That Roger Ailes Lied When He Said FOX News Likes America

Wed 03:24 AM

Now that Christmas is over, FOX News’ latest target in its crusade to cram Christianity down the throats of all Americans is the ACLU. The acronym stands for “American Civil Liberties Union.” It ought to be an organization that FOX News reveres if it’s true, as Roger Ailes likes to say, that they like America. What could be more American than civil liberties? But because the ACLU seeks to uphold, without exception, the Constitutional requirements that government stay out of religion, this organization is regularly demonized on FNC as somehow un-American. A truly disgusting example occurred last Thursday (12/29/05) on Hannity & Colmes.

So-called liberal media makes Abramoff guilty pleas #2 story

Tue 11:17 PM

I had technical difficulties today 1/3/06 - ok, it was a screw-up - and only got the last 20 minutes of The Big Story recorded. The final 20 minutes I did get were different angles on the story of the miners trapped in a West Virginia coal mine.

I do not mean to diminish the importance of the rescue efforts or the emotions the friends and families and rescuers are enduring, and my heart and best wishes go out to them.

But that said, this is precisely what is wrong with corporate media today.

News Hounds regulars planning to meet in the spring

Tue 10:58 PM

A bunch of the regulars here at News Hounds are planning to meet in person in Chicago this spring. Go on over to the sticky "NH Con" in the Forums to particpate in the planning and/or to get the details. Everyone is welcome!

FOX Swings Into 2006 Midterm Election Campaign Mode

Tue 06:58 PM

OK folks, fasten your seat belts. FOX officially kicked off its anti-Democrat, 2006 midterm election campaign today with its first hint that the economy will tank if Democrats win, one of its tried and true lies from 2004.

Today (January 3, 2005) on Your World w/Neil Cavuto, Cavuto hosted a roundtable discussion about what the stock market will do this year. One of the participants was Fox's Brenda Buttner, a "senior business correspondent," and the host of Fox's Saturday morning "business news" program, Bulls & Bears.

Jack Abramoff - No Fair & Balanced on Fox's Studio B - Just A Republican Consultant's Take

Tue 06:13 PM

With Jack Abramoff pleading guilty to conspiracy, mail fraud and tax evasion, Studio B covered this important story with just one opinion - the Republican side. We heard from Major Garrett from Fox and Roger Stone, Republican Consultant.

Not one word was uttered about Abramoff's special friend Tom Delay who toasted his good friend on one of his special trips with Abramoff. However, we did get Fox's and a Republican consultant's spin.

"Culture War" Heats Up on Special Report

Tue 10:59 AM

Jim Angle was still substituting for anchor Brit Hume on Special Report last night (1/2), but the program was in classic Hume style. One particular interview epitomized the fearmongering & instant rewriting of history that characterizes so much of the misinformation on FNC, including alternate versions of reality, Nazi analogies (which are apparently okay when spouted by fascists), Europe-bashing (with particular emphasis on France, of course) & promoting the Bush/neo-con agenda of eternal war.